I have been a remote intern for dev.to for about a month now. I am really enjoying myself; teammates are great, work is challenging, and the atmosphere is really relaxed and enjoyable.
These next few paragraphs are particular to who I am and how I work and not a reflection on the company.
Dealing with "Off Days"
For the past week I have been struggling to get the proper amount of sleep. I have sleep apnea, and while I have lost a considerable amount of weight, I still need a machine to sleep.
I currently don't have the proper equipment as sometimes your mask's velcro can become less sticky and they need to ship you a new one, which I am waiting for. This presents a problem for me as I really need it to not wake up a million times a night as I stop breathing. This means that when I wake up in the morning, I am just about dead, and unable to think.
I usually just fake it through the day, watching Rails or JavaScript tutorials and pecking away at the feature I am working on. It is difficult, and I sometimes find myself needing a break.
Dev.to is flexible enough that I can take a break whenever I need to. This doesn't really reduce the anxiety I feel that I may not be pushing features fast enough.
Solution
I should be getting my equipment tomorrow which means I will finally be able to think and be 10x more productive. Additionally, I need to communicate better with the team and let them know where my head's at.
Learning When to Quit
I have a hard time, especially when in that flow state, of not quitting work. I can go for hours at a time, especially if I am close to finishing a feature or working on a bug. This isn't a great way to behave, especially as a remote. Blurring the lines between work and home can be hazardous, and knowing when to quit is crucial to not burning out.
I found that I was wanting to work until 9, 10pm when I really should have been unwinding. And early on, Mac reminded me to slow down and not burn myself out. This is not a good way to start any job or internship.
Solution
I found an app called Freedom that allows me to not only put a block on social and news sites, but allows me to block desktop apps from a certain time to another. If I am feeling particularly feisty and in the flow state, I put a block on VS Code from 7pm till 8am. I also put a block on places like Udemy and Treehouse though I may cut myself some slack.
Pain
Programmers know back pain more than any other type of knowledge worker. We sit and stare at a screen for 8 or more hours daily. This can lead to all types of problems, not just for your back but your overall health.
Coming in I already had a bad lower back. The team was nice and got me a lumbar cushion which helped at first. Adjusting it is hit or miss, and now my back is getting bad again.
I have a Slackbot reminder to stand up that I sometimes heed and sometimes ignore. Regardless, standing is crucial as well as getting enough exercise.
Solution
The internship here at dev.to allows me to be able to do things I wouldn't have been able to do financially. This means I can buy a bus pass now, and get around. I have a gym membership, a couple of them, actually. Now I can finally utilize them. I plan on hitting the gym again, and doing things like Jefferson Curls or bent-legged good mornings and deadlifts to strengthen my back. I used to lift a lot of heavy weights-- that's how I lost the amount of weight I lost a couple years ago. So it only fits that I continue on that path to get stronger and become pain free.
Introversion
I am a shameless introvert. I am also shy. I find being remote a benefit in this regard. But there are times when I need to reach out and talk to the team, to interact with them outside of just work stuff, and I find that extremely difficult to do.
I did it one day! I felt so proud of myself. But with the sleep issue and the feature I am working on taking longer than my first and the shame that comes with that, I haven't really been communicating with the team. Jess, Andy and Mac have been great in this regard. Coming out of my shell is a bit hard. I am rather serious and reserved around new people. Once I get to know someone, then things begin to loosen up.
Solution
Just talk. As difficult as that is, it is a must. I need to communicate with the team. I need to be social. I am trying. This is a thing I need to overcome, either with a therapist or someone else as social anxiety is a thing for me (it's even worse IRL). We all have to do what is difficult to actually do great things. So tomorrow, I plan on jumping in the conversations and letting myself be known.
Conclusion
This past month has been seriously enjoyable and I couldn't ask for a better team to learn with. I need to keep up my end of the bargain. Here's to another two months!
Top comments (4)
Yay Tiffany! I'm always really, really impressed when reading such honest and wholehearted posts. And I can totally relate to the introvert-thingy. But you got this! 😏
Thank you for your insights. I never thought about doing a remote internship back then, though I thought about working remote or rather worked with colleagues that were completely working remotely once I landed my first full-time job. Now I'm back at university for my masters degree and considering remote internships opens a whole bunch of new options, I think.
By the way, you can do an internship at dev.to?!? 😍 Yay!! How did I not know about this beforehand?! 🙋 😄
@bekka OUR PROFILE IMAGES ARE SO SIMILAR/SYMMETRICAL! 🤪
Yep, I did notice that. 😄 And it was kind of like these moments when you're at a party and realize you're wearing that same dress as the host. 😵 Bummer! 😁
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
That standing desk contraption should be getting to you this week!